Luke 6:27-29 - Loving your enemies

6:27,28

“But to those who hear...” This section continues the counterculture view of life. Now we should bear in mind that Jesus is not giving laws, but principles. If we adopt a legalistic approach to the sermon we will get in trouble. They are a revealing of the heart of God. In fact, that is how we should approach the Law itself, not as a legalistic thing, but a revealing of God’s heart. That would seem to be the way that Jesus approached the Law.

So, in line with not assessing our lives with how well off we are, enemies are not for hating but for loving. And this is very practical, we are to do good to them. It is important to be aware of the practical nature of love. We can be so concerned with the emotional side that we get things wrong. When someone wrongs us or hates us it is very difficult for us to react as Jesus tells us, and even if we are determined to love them we can find that our emotions are conflicted and we are not sure if we really are loving them, and so feel guilty. Sometimes we should judge our love by our actions, even if our feelings are lagging behind, or are in a state of confusion. We should seek to treat our enemies well, seeking justice for them, praying a blessing for them. By the way, the most blessed thing that can happen to them is that they repent and believe.

6:29

This verse gives practical application to what has been said in the previous verse. To slap someone in the face was a great insult, and the natural reaction is to retaliate. Jesus says we are not to retaliate. Sometimes people will take things wrongly from us, sometimes even the state will do this. Again we are not to retaliate. We must not take these verses legalistically, or we will get ourselves in a mess. Moreover, we will be doing a disservice to God and His word. The natural reaction is these sorts of situation is to seek ham for the perpetrator. The godly reaction is to continue to seek the best for the perpetrator. Now this most definitely does not mean people should not be punished for wrong actions. If you think this then you are an idiot. If someone is doing wrong then the best thing that can happen to them is that they repent and believe. These verses are not an excuse nor a command to be a doormat!